Beautiful blooming flowers. Beyond being red, everything was glistening like a scarlet birthday balloon. Feeling the slick liquid over his hands, the man felt his final twisted laughter bubbling up from deep in his chest. This would be the last time that he gave into those urges.

But he did it. He had actually done it. Lifting up the blood-stained hands, Beyond Birthday let out his twisted cackle. There had never been love between them and yet a small trace of guilt managed to seep in.

"Kya ha ha ha!"

/_/_/_/

This wasn't working. It couldn't. Staring at the sleeping blond, L felt a pain cutting deeper than any sorrow he had ever faced. Worse than watching his brother being raped, worse than when he raped Mello. But what could he do other than watch? It had begun innocent enough. Mello was a child and was curious. It wasn't a shock when he began to experiment with things in the world.

But this was different. This was beyond experimentation. Things were so bad that he didn't even have the courage to sleep anymore. If he wasn't passed out from exhaustion, L was keeping watch as best as he could. Mello would come home in such a terrible state, too high and drunk to string sentences together, yelling and cursing when he could. And then the terrible aftereffects. Hangovers, hours spent bent over the toilet, shaking, insomnia, that desperate need to go back for more. Now it wasn't just snorting, but pills and injections too.

What could he do as he watched Mello fall apart? L kept telling himself that it wasn't any of his business what Mello chose to do with his life, but seeing him choose such a destructive path was eating away at his heart. Nothing could make him feel better these days as he wondered when Mello would overdose. How soon was the day that he would find Mello's cold dead body on the streets or even worse, on the front step? The gruesome thoughts kept him awake at all hours, waiting for the blond to come back home. However, Mello didn't always come back every day. The hours he spent away grew longer and longer until it wasn't uncommon for him to disappear for a week at a time. And all the while, L worried.

Dark sleepless eyes watched the blond crawl out of bed, holding his head in pain. The adorable bob he used to wear had grown out into a shaggier hairstyle, one of laziness. There was a Cloister Black font M tattooed on his ankle, a mark of one of his more drunken nights. Jeans and cargo pants were replaced with tight leather, sneakers and sandals with snake-skin boots.

However, the absolute worst thing that L had to face was the knowledge that others had touched Mello's body. Men, women, their disgusting smell was all over him. L couldn't turn his eyes the other way when he found semen on Mello's clothing or worse, running down his legs. Why did things get so wrong, so out of control?

"I'm out of aspirin!" Mello called from the bathroom before the shower turned on.

"There's some under the counter." Of course, Mello wouldn't hear him. Slipping off his seat, L went into the bathroom and opened the door under the sink to grab the extra bottle of medication. With a click, he set it against the clean sink counter.

Pulling the shower curtain to the side a little, Mello looked out at the older man sadly. "Wanna join?"

Looking at the bruises and marks along the teen's arm, L felt sickened. Mello shouldn't have gotten near drugs in the first place, and yet he was helpless to stop the blond. "No. I'm fine."

Swallowing hard, Mello yanked the curtain shut violently, tearing the cheap plastic from one of its hooks. Placing his hands against the cold tile walls, he let the steaming water run over his too-thin figure. Why did he even bother asking anymore? It was clear that L held no attraction to him anymore. What had once been a means of gaining attention and affection had now turned into an escape from the painful reality. Riding the waves of a drug-induced high or an alcohol-induced buzz, he could forget that things had completely fallen apart between them. In the arms of other people, he was free to re-live those pleasant days.

"What do you want for breakfast?" L tried, recognizing that Mello was angry.

"Nothing. I'm not hungry." I just want you.

"Oh. I'll…be in the living room." I miss you.

The hot water bit into his pale skin, the tan from years ago long absent due to his frivolous night life. His forearms were itching from the syringes' bites, but he ignored them. Grabbing L's soap, he lathered the strawberry splash concoction in his palms and ran it over his tainted body. In his attempts to outrun reality, he had ruined any chance of convincing L to love him again. How could L ever love a used up piece of trash like him? It was a destructive and never ending circle of fear and self-abuse that kept pushing him away from the only person he wanted to be close to.

"Why can't you love me?" he whispered to his hands as the suds ran down his body and into the drain. "Why can't I be loved?"

After the shower, Mello shuffled over to L awkwardly. His arse was hurting from what he assumed was a rough night and without his badass leather he felt like a child again. A needy child who just wanted to curl up with his lover. L was sitting on the couch, staring blankly out the window, so Mello invited himself on the couch and sat next to the older man. Feeling his heart beating more excitedly in his chest, he outstretched his trembling fingers and stroked them against L's ivory neck. Dark eyes shifted to glance at him, but they didn't betray any emotions. Like a dead fish's eyes.

"Why don't you put some clothes on?" L suggested, turning back to the window.

"They're all dirty," Mello sighed as he let his hand drop.

"I had that pile of leather on the floor cleaned yesterday."

It was true. His leather was lying neatly across the sofa across the room. Not wanting to move away from L, he just continued to sit there. It didn't matter that L was giving him a strange look. He was comfortable.

/_/_/_/

It had been a while since they had gone shopping together, but they were in desperate need of food, and L wanted to get it while he still had his eye on the teen. Still, Mello managed to attract quite a bit of attention in his flashy attire. Men and women would whisper behind their hands, allowing their filthy eyes to fondle his body. It pissed L off. Didn't they have any shame? It didn't help that they were living in Amsterdam, the most tolerant city in the world. Gay men were always hitting on Mello and L barely had enough time to fend off one jerk before another one would take his place.

Still, it was better to get food now. If he went to get it while Mello was out, who knew if he would miss the blonde's desperate bangs on the door? Or how could he hear the boy stumbling through the halls if he wasn't there?

"Grab some milk," L ordered as he went through the choices of cereal boxes.

"Sure."

Tossing his hair back, Mello strutted over to the dairy section looking for some chocolate milk. He enjoyed their rare outings as it reminded him of happier days. Days when they would hold hands and enjoy each other's company. Now it seemed like they could barely tolerate the other and there was a constant friction between them.

"What's up, bitch?"

Jerking his head up, Mello came eye-to-eye with a fellow party whore. The man was flashing his pearly whites seductively, obviously interested in getting into Mello's laced pants. "Oh. Hi, Neil."

"Aww, don't be cold, babe. Weren't you screaming my name just the other night?"

Mello glared at him. If he wasn't drunk or high, he could barely tolerate these idiots. "I don't scream anyone's name, ass. Don't flatter yourself."

"That's what you say now," Neil pushed, stepping closer and into Mello's personal bubble. "But I'll make you scream, cum slut. You like it nice and rough don't you? You just loved it when I was pounding your pretty little ass-"

"Excuse me," an irritated voice cut through.

Mello practically sighed in relief when he saw L standing there with a murderous glare. "Loyal."

"Oh, you know this punk?" Neil questioned, finally taking a step back.

L's eye twitched before he grabbed Mello's hand and began dragging him away without even gracing the younger man with a reply. Aquamarine eyes widened in surprise as L left his cart with food and insistently pulled Mello along until they were a good ways away from the store. Before he had a chance to voice his thanks, L turned on his heels and glared at him. "What was that?" he demanded harshly.

Stepping back, Mello blinked in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Seething, L stepped forward and shoved his forefinger into Mello's partially bared chest. "I mean, what the hell was that? Do you always let people talk down to you in such a crude way? That's who the bloody hell you sleep with when you're away?" L's fury was exceptionally clear as he slipped into his original British accent.

The words stung at Mello and he instinctively lashed back, his own British accent just as clear. "Oh, don't start acting like you care now! I'll hang out with whoever the hell I want to!"

"This is more than 'hanging out'! Y-you're leaving yourself vulnerable to tossers like that? Are they the ones cleaning up after your messes? Are they the ones waiting all hours of the night, praying that you haven't screwed up and landed yourself in jail?"

Tears welled in Mello's eyes at the harsh words. "So that's what this is all about? Me landing in jail? Me fucking up your life by getting us caught?"

L's anger withered as he saw the hurt in the teen's eyes. "No, that's not what I-"

"Well I'm just fucking sorry for being an inconvenience!" Mello screeched. "You won't have to worry about me, ever fucking again!"

Turning on his heel, Mello raced down the street, dodging pedestrians and other obstacles. L just stood in shock with his hand outstretched, as if he could snatch the boy and pull him back into a firm hug. He had just wanted to protect Mello, to make him see that he was anything but a cum slut. This was exactly why he didn't interfere, because he always managed to screw things up worse. Wiping away at unexpected hot tears, L made his way back to the apartment. Forget food, he needed to be there for when Mello decided to show up again.

/_/_/_/

He shouldn't have said such harsh things to L. Panting heavily as some faceless man fucked him from behind, Mello tried to think of the look on L's face. The dark-haired man had only been trying to look out for him, and he was right. All Mello did was come back a mess. Once L cleaned him up, he would go back out and get dirty again. Just like now.

"Ugh, harder," he croaked, an arm flailing around for the open bottle of booze.

It wasn't fair what he was doing to L. It wasn't fair to keep holding on when all L wanted was freedom and a new lover. What right did he have to interfere and say no? The man had never been his to own, his to love and cherish forever. He had been on borrowed time from the beginning, and it was hurting the both of them to continue it. So, he wasn't going to go back. Steeling his grip on the table in front of him, Mello felt the sob building up. He wasn't going to back to that apartment, back to L. This time, he would leave for good.

Mello couldn't even muster the energy to pretend he was aroused anymore and just cried as he was used for release. The memories of those happy days had been fading away, leaving him feeling hollow, as if it had all been a long dream and he was finally waking up. Days of waking up in the arms of the man he loved, sparring good-naturedly, learning to play the piano with those large arms protectively cocooning him. Fire water raced down his throat, a poor attempt at numbing the pain. With an unhappy grunt, he clenched his muscles to milk the man fucking him to completion.

"Besth pushy," the man slurred, falling back to the only spot unoccupied on the couch.

Straightening up, Mello looked around at the revelry around him. All the vices possible to mankind was present only an arm's length away and he could delve into any he chose. Then there was Neil, grinning like the devil himself. Sober arms trapped him against the table, and he couldn't muster the will to fight against it.

"Still think that I can't make you scream my name, bitch?"

"Hey, isn't it your turn to take it up the ass?" Mello snorted, loving the anger that clouded the other man's face. The angrier this guy was, the faster he would get off. He was not one for patience.

"Bend over."

/_/_/_/

Was it almost morning? Stumbling down the streets, Mello tried to force himself to keep his feet from racing home. He would not go back there, he wouldn't! But where could he go? There was no one that he trusted enough to stay with for a long period of time, but he couldn't just sleep in an alley. Could he? Wait, could he? Laughing, he ran into a pedestrian.

"Oh, 'scuse m-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, vomit was spewing out of his mouth and all over the unfortunate man. His laughter was turned to heaving and coughing and his trembling hand had a death-grip on the stranger's arm for support. Really, Mello was expecting to be pushed away in disgust, to be hit or yelled at. Anything but hugged.

"Hey, you don't look so good," the voice offered softly. "Come on, let's get you washed up, buddy."

So, it wasn't really a hug; more like the stranger was supporting him with both arms. Still, it was the closest thing to true affection that he had gotten in nearly a year and it was enough to make him cry. Sobbing like a little girl. The stranger merely spouted out comforting words and his strong arms never faltered. Mello could imagine that it was just L again, dragging him back into the house and trying to keep him from waking up the neighbors. L who would always wash the filth from his body, who would never mention the jizz or the bile. Not even piss bothered him. L who would dress his wounds and buy the aspirins and ice to ease his hangovers. L, who he would kill to have back.

It was a while before he became conscious enough to take in his surroundings. Sunlight was filtering through immaculate white mini-blinds and dancing happily across the plush carpet. Wiping his dry irritated eyes, Mello took in more of the room he currently inhabited. Didn't some random person pick him off the streets? Who in their right mind would take in a drunkard, especially when he had such a nice home to come back to? Looking down at the sheets, he immediately felt guilty. What had once been clean Egyptian linen was now smeared with his bodily fluids and blood. Blood? Lifting up a hand, he saw bandage that had been shoddily wrapped around his wrist down to his elbow. And there was gauze on his face. Maybe he ran into a brick wall again…

Voices caught his attention. Two guys were talking right outside of the room. Whoops, he intruded on roommates.

"Do you think that he's okay?" the first voice questioned without much inflection.

"I don't know. He might still be passed out."

Looking back down at himself, Mello felt a little bad for intruding on the lives of two well-meaning guys. He didn't deserve to be in such a nice place, taking advantage of a Good Samaritan. They had done enough. Rolling off the bed, the blond realized too late that he was in no condition to be walking around so soon. His vision swam and his knees buckled under his slight weight. Falling ungracefully, he managed to crash right into their bed stand, taking an expensive lamp down with him.

"Fuck!" he screeched as the shattering accessory made his ears ring and his hands sting with cuts.

"Oh shit, are you okay?" Footsteps were rushing around him and hands fretted over him like a mother hen. "Man, he got cut! Nate, can you get the first aid kit again?"

"Yes."

Those familiar hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away from the ruined lamp and back against a firm chest. "Here, let's get you further away from that mess, okay?"

"S-sorry," Mello muttered, helping the man get him away from the scene of the crime. His crime for destroying their personal property. "Yeah, uh, I should get going anyway."

"Dude, we're not letting you go anywhere."

Looking up at the electric blue eyes, Mello wondered why his heart did a little summersault. "Who're you to fucking stop-p-p me?"

The highly attractive face fell a little and the man looked disappointed. Unnaturally bright red hair got a little distracting as the sunlight lit it up like a halo around the man's face. "You don't…you don't know who I am?"

Rolling his eyes, Mello was praying that this guy wasn't one of his nerdy worshippers. "Look, if I slept with you at one point, it doesn't mean that I'm in love with you. Seriously, find yourself a girlfriend or something."

"Matt, I don't think that Mello's in any state of mind to remember much of anything."

All of a sudden, Mello's brain screeched to a halt. Jerking his eyes away from that crazy (and messy) hair and back to the beautiful face, he found his eyes widening. No bloody way. It was impossible, completely fucking impossible. The bright blue eyes sparkled in pleasure and an all-too-familiar crooked grin slowly curled on those smooth lips.

"M-mattie?" he choked, grasping the arms of the man that was holding him, a man who was actually no older than eighteen. "Mattie, is that you?"

"Mels!"

That was enough. A torrent of memories from Wammy's House flooded his mind, and he found himself sobbing in the arms of a long-lost friend. His best friend, in fact. Matt teared up as well, rocking back and forth the person he had never expected to see again. "Oh Mattie! H-how…n-no, I'm sorry, I…I…"

"Shhhh, shhhh, it's okay, Mels. You don't have to say anything. Just relax. Shhh…"

"I'm going to apply alcohol to the wounds, okay?"

Glancing for the first time at the other man, Mello did a double take. There was no mistaking the pale skin and white hair. "Near?" He glanced between them in confusion before bursting out with laughter. "No way, you guys are together?"

Matt blushed, but the smile never left his face. "Y-yeah, we're together. I mean, I know that you never liked him and all, but-"

"Hey, I'm not one to complain," Mello chuckled still trying to wrap his mind around that odd pairing. He would have never imagined those two hooking up! "After all, I'm the guy who-" The words died an instant death on his lips.

L.

Matt shared a worried look with Near before getting a better grip around Mello's body. "Hey, we can talk about that later. Right now you need a bath and some more patching up."

Nodding silently, Mello allowed the younger man to lift him up and carry him to the bathroom. In fact, he remained motionless and voiceless as Matt removed his clothing and bathed him. Like the bedroom, the bathroom was spotless. All of the tile was literally gleaming in the light, the two toothbrushes were standing at attention exactly three inches apart with the mouthwash a foot to the right and the tube of toothpaste five inches under it. The only splashes of color in the white bathroom were the toothbrushes and the fuzzy red mat beside the claw-footed bathtub. Near disappeared with the filthy clothes and came back with a pair of pajamas that had to have been Matt's. The little Goombas all over the material was a dead giveaway.

"You still wear pajamas?" Mello found himself muttering in disbelief.

"Yup. Sure do. When I'm not sleeping naked, you know."

Near slapped the currently redheaded man upside the head before stalking out muttering death threats. The whole scene was too bizarre and Mello couldn't help but laugh even harder. Was he in some twisted version of the Twilight Zone? Matt laughed along as he continued to shampoo the golden locks of hair.

/_/_/_/

It had been like a premonition. Sitting next to his telephone, all day long. Cellular phones had never tempted him much, so he had to remain stationary, seated neatly next to his landline. Misa had come in to offer her delicious pussy, and as if possessed by a spirit of chastity, he declined. Then Mikami came in concern and offered to be humiliated, but again, he was not even tempted. He needed to sit by the phone with nothing but his thoughts.

Both slaves stood by the bedroom door, watching him carefully and whispering their concerns. How could their Master deny them his passions? It was uncommon for him to break their carefully constructed schedule and even more so for nothing in particular. He did absolutely nothing but sit back with his legs crossed and a thoughtful expression. He wasn't even in any domineering get-ups either which was cause for further concern.

However, the spell was broken with a loud obnoxious ring. Conscious of looking too eager, Light allowed the phone to ring three times before lifting it off its cradle and delicately placing it against his ear.

"Hello?" There was silence on the other end for a moment before a sob and irregular breathing could be heard. It was as if the caller was trying to hide the fact that he was crying. Of course, Light knew exactly who was on the other end. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I-I'm…I'm at my wit's end," the voice hissed. Honey eyes could almost see the trembling man wiping at his eyes furiously, a habit he picked up due to his hating the feeling of liquid running down his face.

"Continue."

"I can't t-take it anymore. Please."

"Where?" Light questioned with an unconcerned lilt to his voice, hiding his pounding heart.

An address was spouted off before the connection went dead.

Setting the phone back on its cradle, Light looked at his two concerned slaves. "Mikami, Misa, I need you two to house-sit for a while. Master is going on a trip and will not need you two."

/_/_/_/

L heard the door clicking open, but he was too exhausted to get up. Besides, those weren't Mello's footsteps. They were too calculated, too even. Curled up on the couch, he couldn't even see his guest, though he could guess who it was.

"What a dump." The sound of grocery bags being set down preceded some more footsteps and then the young Asian man was standing before him in all of his pristine glory. "You look terrible."

"You have such a way with words," L shot back weakly.

"Ugh, do I have to cook?"

L nodded, knowing that he couldn't move if he wanted to. He was at his limit, but he still couldn't force himself to leave the apartment in the case that Mello would show up the moment he left. The world was a cruel place, and he wouldn't put it past fate to dish out such a horrendous circumstance.

"Well then. Don't complain or I'll kick your ass."

With a shaky smile, L nodded.

After a traditional Japanese meal, the older man felt a lot better and was even able to sit up again. Light was an exceptional cook thanks to his obsessive compulsive preciseness and patience, and L savored every chance he had to taste the exquisite food. It had been years since his tongue had sampled such a divine meal and he was almost moved to tears.

"Thank you, Light."

Sitting back against the only other piece of furniture in the living room, Light stared at the gaunt man in front of him. When the man had run off with the blond brat all those years ago, this was not the ending that he had in mind for them. L looked absolutely miserable and there was no sign of the boy. Not being one who danced around a subject, Light demanded answers. "So, where's Mello?"

L flinched at the name and stared at the door, wishing that the utterance of his name would bring Mello back. "He's…out."

"Out?" Light pushed. "As in, you kicked him out? Out for food? Out of your life?"

Swallowing thickly, L shook his head. There would be no way to explain what had really happened without relating everything. Sure, he could have come up with a condensed version of their "adventures" but at the same time he needed to vent. He needed to hear himself say those things, to remind himself that the happy times had really existed even if it had been for too short a period. So he talked. And once he got started, everything came spilling out. Everything that had been bottled up, everything that he had thought, felt, and said. His sins, his virtues. The tears were back as he related the rape, the near losses of Mello. Temptations, disgust, uncertainty, grief, agony.

Morning light shone through the window as silence settled between them. Not saying a word, Light stood up stiffly and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Pulling out all the stops, he created a full traditional Japanese breakfast and served it all without saying a word. Quite a feat if you were Light Yagami.

"I just don't know what to do," L sighed around a spoonful of rice.

Light raised an eyebrow. "Are you stupid?"

The simple statement was like a slap in the older man's face. "W-what?"

Leaning back, Light studied the man for a moment before replying. "When was the last time you fantasized about anyone other than Mello?"

Caught off guard with the question, L fumbled for a moment trying to remember when exactly was the last time he fantasized at all. "Uh, a year ago?"

"When was the last time you looked at any children?"

"About…a year ago. Where is this questioning going?"

"Just hear me out. Why did you start looking at other children in the first place?"

"Because he was…" Thinking back to all the events, L felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Because Mello mentioned that he was turning seventeen soon."

"Really? Interesting. So, you began lusting after other kids, jerking off to them, but only for a few months? And only after he mentioned that he was getting older?" Light almost looked bored, but L could see that he was trying to drive a point home.

"Yes. I mean, with Mello acting so strangely, I didn't have time to worry about anything but him."

"But why would you bother worrying about someone you don't love? Honestly, you've said that you expect him to leave and you even want him to. So why the hell are you still here? Why are you waiting for him to come back? Go get another piece of ass and be done with it."

L jumped to his feet in anger, furious that Light would speak about Mello in such a way. "'Another piece of ass'? After all that I've told you, you'd still speak of him in such a degrading way? I won't stand for it! Mello was never a piece of ass to me! He was different, special!"

"Yes, the key word being 'was', L. He's no longer special, so move on already."

"No!" L shouted without even thinking. "I can't move on, I can't! He needs me to be here, to clean up after him, to make sure that he eats, to clean up his leather, to…to…"

Light's eyes hardened. "To do what, L? Say it. Fucking say it!"

"I won't," L whispered, terrified of the word that might make it past his lips. "I can't, because if I do, he'll never be free. H-he'll never leave."

"So, you'll just hurt him, and torture him until he leaves?"

"Hurt him?"

"Do you think that your coldness was a kindness, Lawliet? Do you think that after years of doting and pouring affection on him you were doing a damn favor by pushing him away and pretending to be interested in other kids?"

"It was for the best," L tried to justify, but with Light screaming the truth at him he couldn't lie to himself anymore.

"Why do you think that he bothered to stay around as long as he did? Do you think he's a fucking masochist? Huh? Do you think that he enjoyed being ignored by you? Not being touched by you?"

"I…"

"Say it, Lawliet, you have to say it!"

"But I'm scared!"

Light almost looked guilty for a moment as he saw his friend utterly bare before him. The terror of making such an admittance was palpable in the air. For someone like L, who was surrounded by misfortune and pain, saying those words was like declaring a death sentence, dooming someone to anguish. His murdered parents, Beyond, Light, they all were hurt.

"You don't have a choice." His words were firm but gentle. There could be no other way. "You can stop his self-destructive habits by saying those words to him. That's all it would take."

"There's no way, it's impossible! He wouldn't-"

Jumping to his own feet, Light strode over to the trembling man and slapped him across the face, leaving an angry handprint. "Say it. Grow a pair, and say it!"

"I can't-"

"Say it!"

"But-"

"Fucking say it!"

Gently touching the tender skin, L stared at the floor. "I…I love him."

"Say it again. Louder!"

"I love him." Breathing deeply, he felt as if the weight of the past year and a half was dissolving, giving his tired shoulders a rest. There was no need to hide behind his pedophilic tendencies anymore. "I l-love him. I love him!" Wiping at his eyes furiously, L Lawliet stood to his full height and screamed at the top of his lungs. "I LOVE HIM!"

/_/_/_/

It was disgustingly sweet to see the two lovebirds flitting around. Grimacing, Mello watched as Matt hovered over Near while he was cooking. Near kept trying to shoo away the redhead, but he would stay there with this utterly stupid grin on his face. Mello stuck out his tongue even though no one was paying any attention to him. They were in their own little world. What he wouldn't give to be just like that. Matt leaned forward and kissed the pale boy's cheek and proceeded to giggle. Like a girl. Not even Near giggled.

Watching the two of them was comparable to watching a wreck happening. He couldn't tear his eyes away no matter how much he wanted to. They were so perfect. Finally giving into Matt, Near turned and allowed a lip-on-lip kiss. Very soon it turned to tongue-on-tongue kissing and hand-touching-inappropriately. Not wanting to witness sex on the kitchen counters, Mello coughed loudly and sent the two of them flying apart. Matt began laughing nervously and Near just shot him a dirty look.

"Matt, why don't you and Mello go buy some more celery?"

Mello shuddered at the mention of the vegetable. L never made him eat crap like that. "You guys eat celery?"

Matt shrugged as he moved to grab a dorky fur-lined vest. "It's not so bad if you slather it in peanut butter, or ranch dressing, or ketchup, or…" On and on he went with the various ways of choking down the damn plant Near forced him to eat.

As they walked to the small farmers' market not far from the apartment, Matt gave some more details about life in Wammy's House after he left. For the past two weeks the redhead had fed him the information slowly, as if he were afraid that it would overwhelm the blond. Thankfully, neither member of the lovey dovey couple felt the need to press him about what happened after he ran away. Near probably didn't care and Matt knew him well enough not to ask. Still, it was hard not to talk about it, especially to someone he trusted. Then again, how much could he trust in someone he really didn't get to know all those years ago? Matt had been underappreciated and taken for granted. He had always been there and had been willing to keep the strange loudmouth blond company. Even when he got teased, Matt would just offer that grin that would show off the gap between his two front teeth. Glancing at it more closely, Mello confirmed that the gap had closed off with the adult teeth.

"Mels, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just checking your teeth."

"My teeth? Wait, do I have something stuck in them? Are they yellow?"

Mello couldn't help but laugh at the worried man. "Come on, I was just seeing if the gap between your teeth went away."

"Ugh, that. Yeah, it went away when my new ones grew in."

Smiling at the fond memories, the blond couldn't help but chuckle. "Heh, L was scared of pulling teeth. He always said that it was a form of torture and he could not participate in it. Oh man, this one time I was eating pizza and then my tooth came out, so I just spat it up on my plate! Hell, he nearly fainted! That's just so like him!"

"Yeah, Roger always had the nurses do it for us," Matt added in casually, acting like Mello mentioning the "L" word wasn't a big deal.

"Oh yeah, and this one time-" Mello jerked to a halt, catching himself. All mirth drained from his face and he turned towards the street. "We're looking for celery, right?"

Frowning, Matt nodded. "Yeah, it's right up here."

Shopping went quietly, with Mello being extra conscious of everything he was saying, and Matt trying not to pry. Naturally, the conversation was turned back to Matt and Near.

"So why'd you decide to go flamin' redhead?"

Matt subconsciously reached up the stroke his unnatural hair. "Well, I don't really know. Maybe it's a big 'fuck you' to the status quo of Wammy's House, and maybe I did it because I didn't want people staring at Near's hair all the time and laughing at him. It's not his fault that it's like that."

There was another awkward pause as Matt paid for the offensive vegetable and they headed back to the apartment. Glancing at his friend, Matt didn't like seeing Mello look so down and out of it. When they were kids he was so alive, just bouncing off the walls. He was either passionately angry or hyper. There was no off switch until bedtime. Compared to that, he was like a zombie now. What could have happened to change him so drastically?

"Mello, what happened to you?"

Swallowing back all of the tears that wanted to spill out Mello focused on watching his feet. He didn't want to answer the question, but if he didn't then Matt would only worry more. An almost truth should suffice his curiosity. "L and I moved around a lot. I got lonely so I started partying."

"Lonely?" Matt tried, treading carefully.

"Yeah. Lonely."

When he didn't offer anymore, Matt let it slide. Mello obviously wasn't ready to spill the beans. Chewing his lip, the redhead thought up of an idea that would get Mello to cozy up to them. "Hey, do you want to go to a party with me and Near?"

"A party?" The idea didn't exactly thrill him as he thought back to his style of partying. The last thing he wanted them to see was him getting shit-faced and fucked. Literally.

"Come on, it'll be fun! There's this gay bar that we go to a lot and they're having a costume party! Please say yes, please?"

"Those darn puppy eyes!" the blond groaned while brushing some hair out of his face. Well, a costume party wasn't anywhere near his style of partying, so things were probably going to stay innocent enough. "Fine, fine, fine!"

"Awesome!"

With that, their night was decided.

/_/_/_/

"Um, oh my gawd. What are you wearing?"

Matt laughed at the slightly disturbed look on Mello's face as he took in the customized costume. Mello tried not to look away from the atrocity that his best friend was lovingly calling an outfit. Hot pants, a small vest, and cap made from PVC, all topped off with dorky goggles, a studded collar and an armband.

"Don't you recognize me?" Matt giggled, adding a few hip thrusts.

"Please take pity on my eyes, Matt. I'm gay, not desperate."

"Oh come on, you really don't recognize me? Really?"

"Not a clue."

"…"

"I'm serious! Who the hell are you?"

Sigh. "Hello, this is Hard Gay!" He outstretched his arms and spun around a few times. "Hoooooo!"

"…Who the hell is Hard Gay?"

Falling down dramatically, Matt placed his palm over his eyes as if he had fainted. "You don't know who Hard Gay is?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't waste time asking questions."

"Good point."

"He's a Japanese comedian who portrays a stereotypical American gay man," Near interrupted as he walked out in his own costume. A headband with little red devil horns was perched on his snowy head and a rather snug red thigh-high dress clung to his small frame. Before Mello could say anything, he shrugged his shoulders. "Being an angel is overrated. Besides, Matt likes me in drag."

"Sheesh, you're going to make Mr. Hard Gay over here, pun intended, hard."

"Already am," Matt stated casually.

"Dude, I really could have gone on without knowing that."

Turning away from the two of them, Mello examined his borrowed outfit. Imagining Matt in it made him snort in amusement. Alice in Wonderland. With his blond hair, it was almost a dream match. Only this Alice wore combat boots and black lace.

"Let's go," Near sighed impatiently attempting to use bodily force to get the two men to move. Matt just swept him off his feet and strode down the hall, leaving Mello to lock the door and trail behind them. A cab was called and they were off to this bar called Rab Yag.

During the ride, Near watched Mello carefully. Even though he never had much contact with the blond during their Wammy days, he could see the changes. Gone was the boy who was obsessed with his girlish beauty, gone was that air of superiority, and gone was the childish energy that had shone in his turquoise eyes. The only things that remained from his childhood were his ability to weep on the drop of a dime and his instability. Guarding his expression carefully, Near also examined Matt's interactions with the blond. In all honesty, he had been frightened when he saw Matt carrying the unconscious man into their apartment. It wasn't the fact that the both of them were covered in vomit or that Mello smelled of something ungodly. It was the fact that Mello was back. And he was scared of losing Matt to him.

"Here we are!" Matt exclaimed cheerfully as he stepped out of the taxi and helped the others out. Being the only one not wearing a dress, he was at an advantage.

Looking up at the place, Mello found himself nodding in approval. He had been expecting some tasteless flaming homo place with glitter and pink everywhere, but what he found was a tasteful establishment. The outside had a contemporary feel to it, topped off with an abstract sculpture in front of the glass doors. Gold-plated items accented the entire place, from door handles to the edges of the bar. It was well lit inside, but not too harsh. There were read barmaids who were dressed professionally, and they even had a well-dressed DJ. The air smelled clean and fresh and everyone inside was chatting happily, squealing about the beautiful costumes or the show that would be starting soon. Some random people screamed and ran towards Matt before all of them proceeded to do some strange dance revolving around the prominent hip-thrusting action.

"I take it, they all know who Hard Gay is?" he whispered to the emotionless boy next to him.

Near nodded. "Yes."

"Wow, you're as chatty as ever," Mello snorted. Near just glared at him. Honestly, what did Matt see in that white-haired kid?

Before he could add some more snide remarks, the rabid crowd turned on him, gushing over how absolutely adorable he was as Alice.

"Darling, that's just sooooo you!"

"Perfect!"

"Oh, Matty-kins, where did you find this one?"

"I want one just like him!"

Chuckling, Mello just let the weirdoes ohhh and ahhh while Matt beamed proudly and told them that Mello was indeed his best friend. Glancing back, the blond was surprised to see that even Near had his own following of gay friends. Amazing what a few years could do to a kid. Feeling the familiar pain clenching his chest, he shook his head. What a few years could do to a kid, indeed.

Deciding that he wasn't going to waste the night with dreary thoughts about L, he headed straight for the bar and ordered a chocolaty-vodka concoction. This was going to be a great night. A few shots later, and he was ready to hit the dance floor with Matt. Like old times, they fooled around, laughing and poking fun at each other. However, there was the addition of alcohol and a certain jealous looking Near.

"Hey, why don't you invite Near to dance with us?" Mello suggested, chuckling as the sheep boy glared at him again. Licking his lips, he slowly grinded against the redhead. Now, Near looked absolutely livid.

"Nah," Matt replied, grinding back shamelessly. "He doesn't like dancing at all."

"Fine with me. Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't replacing him or anything."

"Psh, you can't replace Near. Not to be mean or anything, but you're not my type at all. Near's way hotter."

"Hey, hey, no need to go that far," Mello teased as he turned around and rubbed his backside against the game-addict's crotch. "I'm a fine piece of ass."

"Yeah, your ass isn't so bad. It's your personality that sucks!"

Spinning around in Matt's arms, Mello couldn't help but laugh. His friend hadn't changed in all those years. He was still a brat and still so fucking loveable. Like a little puppy. It would chew your shoes and piss on the carpet, but at the end of the day when you could pet and cuddle with it all would be forgotten.

"At least I have better sense than to wear hot pants."

"Don't be a hater!"

After another hour of crazy dancing, the two teens joined Near at the bar in order to watch the catwalk show. This was where local wannabe designers would create different outfits to show off to the eager crowd. And who better to criticize fashion than a bunch of gay men?

"Here, you need to fill out this card, Mels," Matt informed as he handed out the comment card.

"Are you serious?"

"It's not that hard to voice your rather boisterous opinion," Near sneered as Matt moved to show off his costume to a few newcomers.

"Don't get your panties up in a bunch," Mello sighed. "I'm not looking to take Matt away. Besides, he doesn't like me in that way."

"Didn't look that way," the younger boy huffed as he took another drink of his water.

"Well, if you don't want me rubbing up against your boy-toy, you should get some balls and dance with him. He wants to, you know."

Glancing up from his drink, Near studied Mello's face. "D-do you mean it?"

"Yup." Mello was a little surprised to see the stone-faced Near blushing.

"He really…wants to dance with me?"

"Definitely."

The models began strutting across the stage in their outrageous get-ups and despite himself, Mello found that he was having a good time. Matt came back with some fruity drinks and they chatted and shared opinions about the outfits. Mello couldn't remember the last time he had felt so at peace or relaxed, and it was refreshing to enjoy drinks without looking to get smashed. No one was looking to fuck him (in public, at least), no one was offering drugs, and those qualities were rare in his experience. Rare enough for him to appreciate it.

But as expected, not all good things could last. As he was stretching out his back, Mello caught sight of Neil. Just seeing the man made him feel ill and he found himself trying to shrink back into the bar so that he wouldn't be seen. Of course, Matt noticed and began looking around. "What's the matter?" he mumbled, keeping his baby blues on the lookout for L.

"Ugh, it's just some guy I know. I don't want him seeing me."

"Oh, an old boyfriend?"

Calculating the risk of racing to the restroom, Mello brushed his hair out of his face. "No way, just a fuck. He's pretty insistent, though."

"What does he look like?"

"Brown hair up in a faux hawk, green eyes, about my height…he's the guy who just walked in!"

Matt's eyes caught the described man and his face paled instantly. Mello noticed and froze. "What? What? Is he looking this way?"

"Is that Neil?" Matt choked out. Near jerked his head away from the show and glanced over at the newcomer as well.

"Okay, now you're freaking me out. Yes, his name is Neil, but so what? Do you know him? Is a serial killer, or something?"

Near looked back at Mello with a pained expression. "Something like that."

"Come on, I think that we should leave before he sees you," Matt urged. Grabbing the confused and more than a little worried blond, the three of them slipped out of Rab Yag as quickly as possible.

/_/_/_/

Sitting in the clinic, Mello felt sick to his stomach. Teenage girls filled the seats around him and the only other guy was at the counter grabbing free condoms. Damn it all. Rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands, he tried to shut out the sounds of nurses bustling about, of girls crying, of carts being wheeled around. There was a pile of magazines on the coffee table in front of him, but Vogue and The National Enquirer never did interest him. He could always read the gruesome pamphlets on abortion and emergency contraception, but he felt sick enough.

"Matthew Rivers?" Looking up, he saw the nurse smiling encouragingly at him. "The doctor is ready to speak with you."

Getting up on shaky legs, he walked past her and down the long cold hall. As each footstep echoed against the walls, Near and Matt's voices kept replaying in his head.

"Shit Mello!" Matt cried, pacing in front of the couch.

"Just tell me what's wrong!"

Near stopping picking at an imaginary spot on his dress and looked up at the confused and concerned blond. "Neil has AIDS."

The news was like a bucket of cold water to the face. His mouth dropped open and stared at their remorseful faces. "Th-that can't be, he…he s-sleeps around a-a-a lot."

Matt's face showed anger and disgust. "Yeah, he does, that ass. He doesn't care about infecting others."

"Did you use a condom?" Near asked quietly.

There was no need to reply as the answer was written all over his horrified face.

Getting a rapid HIV test was the next logical step. Matt and Near drove him to the clinic and were outside waiting for him. They would have come in with him except for the fact that he was embarrassed and didn't want them there to see him so shaken up. It was bad enough that he had been taking advantage of their hospitality, and he didn't need their moral support. There was only one person who could give him what he needed and that person wasn't anywhere near him.

"Mr. Rivers?"

Looking up at the doctor, Mello found himself wishing for the first time in his life that he wasn't a genius, that he wasn't so perceptive. "It's positive," he heard himself stating.

"Look, there is a possibility that this is just a false positive. As with all positive rapid HIV tests, we need to take another blood sample and send it in for a secondary confirmation. The test is called ELISA, for short and it consists-"

"I don't care," Mello hissed, closing his eyes and holding himself. "Just take the damn blood and let me out of here."

"Sir, I know that this is hard for you, but there are groups that can help you deal with this. We have a detailed list of therapists who are specifically trained…"

/_/_/_/

With Light's help, tracking down Mello was a lot easier than L had anticipated. It was the benefits of being the son of a Chief of Police. Surprisingly, there were two ex-Wammy kids who were living in Amsterdam as well, and one of them was the bratty little kid who let them into the room all those years ago. Questioning neighbors, they soon found out that there was a blond currently living with the happy couple and that he had just shown up out of the blue three weeks ago.

"It has to be Mello," L murmured as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

"So, are you going to barge in and demand that they release your princess?" Light asked as he used the rearview mirror in his rented car to examine his face.

"Of course not. Well, maybe."

"Go get 'em, tiger."

"But what if he won't have me?" L sighed as he looked at his friend. His thumb was already bleeding, a testament to his frayed nerves.

"L, he wouldn't have hung around you as long as he did if he didn't have feelings for you."

"But I hurt him."

Adjusting the rear-view mirror back into its proper place, Light shot L a glance. "Am I going to have to physically remove you from this vehicle, Lawliet?"

"Fine. I'll go."

Checking both ways for approaching cars, L hopped out of the car and walked towards the apartment complex. He knew the room number by heart and had no trouble getting there. The only trouble he had was knocking. Staring at the simple white door with black numbers painted on, he could only stand there and scratch the back of his calf with a bare toe. Damn, he forgot to put shoes on; that wasn't exactly a good first impression for Mello's friend.

"Good lord! Do I have to do everything for you?"

Jumping back in surprise, L watched as Light knocked on the door. "Wait, why'd you come?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't do it," Light growled, flipping his hair back. "Besides, this is what friends do for each other, right?"

Smiling, L stroked Light's cheek affectionately. "Thank you."

The door clicked open and a young boy with white hair opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"Is Mello here?" L asked.

The boy stared at them suspiciously. "He went out about ten minutes ago. Can I take a message for him?"

Light rolled his eyes. "Listen, we were outside of this door for thirty minutes until this guy got his nerve and no one's left. Unless Mello climbed out a window, he's still in there."

"Please, I need to talk to him. Tell him my name is Loyal."

"Who's at the door, hon?" A redhead stepped in behind the pale boy and he did a double take. "Hey, it's the narcissist and pedophile."

"Matt!" L exclaimed, pushing Light back before he could say anything scathing. "I really need to talk to Mello. Can you let me in?"

"Um, actually, now's probably not a good time. He's a little under the weather."

"Under the weather?" Panic filled L. Now that he wasn't taking care of Mello, the blond fell sick. "Move!" Shoving past them, L raced into the apartment. Not seeing the teen in the living room, he raced down the hall. The bathroom light was open, so he kicked the door open. "Mello! Are you okay?"

Sitting in a bubble bath, the blond stared at him with eyes the size of saucers. "L?" he whispered, joy lighting up the turquoise eyes. Almost immediately, though, pain clouded them. "What the hell are you doing here?" he spat.

Dropping to his knees in front of the claw-footed tub, he snatched up Mello's sudsy hand. "Mello, I'm so sorry." Tears welled in his eyes as he looked up at the only person who had ever made him feel this way. "I love you, I love you so much that it hurts!"

Gasping, Mello tried not to cry yet again. He had done enough of that to last a life-time, but this was a special occasion. It was the only thing that he had wanted to hear. Unfortunately, he had to decline the sentiments. "Why couldn't you say so earlier?" he whispered, as the tears streaked down. "Why couldn't you want me earlier? It's too fucking late now!"

"What do you mean?" L pressed, not willing to just give up.

"No, I can't accept your f-feelings. I just can't!" I'm filthy and ruined. I won't hurt you by saying yes.

"You don't have a choice, Mello, I'm not leaving without you!" Desperation was in his eyes, want and passionate affection. "I know that I was wrong, and I'm sorry! I'll do better, just come back with me."

"No!" Mello wailed. "It's not you, I'm so fucking dirty and I can't let you touch me! I c-can't! I'm so sorry, L!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, L leaned forward and pulled Mello into a tight hug. "Don't say that! You're not dirty at all, Mello. You're beautiful, perfect! There's nothing wrong with you!" I'll never let you go again.

"Get off me!" His hands tried to shove the older man away, but L refused to budge. "You'll get sick too, you'll be hurt by me!"

"I don't care, I love you. I love you, Mello!"

"I have HIV!" he screeched, punching the man's flawless face. "I'm sick, infected, and you'll get it if you get near me!"

Nursing his swelling cheek, L stared at the panting boy. His slick chest was heaving and his eyes were red from crying. There were scars along his forearms and his skin was pallid from his self-neglect. Even his once shimmering hair was dull and lifeless. But for all his faults, all L could see was the angel he had swept away. Grabbing the back of Mello's neck, he pulled the teen into a teeth-clashing kiss.

"Noooo!" Mello screamed, trying to push L away.

Pulling back for a second to look into those eyes, L delved right back into those lips, tearing down Mello's defenses piece by piece. Hands clawed at his shoulders, but he only held the boy closer. Kiss after kiss, gentle stroke after gentle stroke. Rocking the teen in his arms, L managed to calm him down. His hand stroked back Mello's wet bangs before tracing around the cheekbones and down the straight nose to those quivering lips.

"You can't make me go, just accept it," L whispered, not caring that by this point he was soaking wet. "Mello, you could have the Ebola virus and it couldn't keep me away."

"B-but I don't want you to get it," Mello sobbed, holding tightly to the raven-haired man. "It's all my fault, and I sh-should suffer f-for it, but not you. Never you."

Wiping away the tears with his thumbs, the older man pressed a chaste kiss to those lips with a click. "Mello, I want you to listen to me, and listen well. When we get home, I'm going to make love to you. I'm going to love you so much that you'll never have doubts about me again. I'll use protection, I'll be careful, but I will never leave you again. I'll never hold back my touches. I'll never let you be lonely again."

Mello's lips trembled too badly for him to speak and grateful tears continued to spill out. I love you so very much. The same hands that had tried to force L away were now holding him close, seeking comfort. After a few minutes, he began chuckling and looked up with moist eyes. "W-what if I was taking a shit? You just kicked down the door!"

Laughing at the image in his head, L cradled the teen. "I'd have still gotten on my knees and proclaimed my undying love."

"Weirdo."

Standing outside of the bathroom, Light stepped out of the way to allow the boys to walk in if they wanted to. L did his part, and Light just made sure that there were no interruptions. Matt was crying and Near was on his tippy toes, somberly patting the messy red head.

/_/_/_/

"You know, I think that L.A.'s been growing on me."

Looking up from washing the dishes, Almost looked at Beyond. "Hunh? Why do you say that?"

Grinning widely, the dark-haired man tilted his head back to look at his docile little housewife. "Because its initials are of my two favorite people."

"L and A?" Looking up, it took him a few seconds before blushing madly and scrubbing the dishes with renewed vigor. "O-oh. Um, that's nice, er, good. Um, yeah."

"Let's live here for the rest of our lives, okay?"

Putting the last dish in the dish-rack, Almost walked over to his lover and cuddled next to him. "I'm fine with that."

Dipping his fingers into a jar of strawberry jam, he let his head rest on the brunette's shoulder. "Do you think that I'll see my Lawliet again?"

Almost kissed the top of Beyond's head. "Maybe. Since Quillsh Wammy went missing, no one else has really followed up on the hunt for you or your brother."

Grinning widely, Beyond swirled a finger in the gelatinous substance. "Yeah. Isn't it convenient that he went missing?"

"And right after you quit the murders," Almost murmured, stroking the wild raven locks. "By the way, it's been a year to the day since your last murder. Do you want to go out for dinner to celebrate?"

Chuckling darkly, Beyond smeared some of the jam across his lover's cheek. "Mnnn, not yet. We can do that in a few days."

"Okay."

Standing over his handiwork, L gave a final bow to Wammy's House. Looking back down at the freshly dug grave he snickered. "Thanks for the good days, old man." A breeze blew past, making the rusted gate creak unhappily. "Too bad you didn't leave me and L alone. I love him, you know. Enough to kill. Kill you."

Scratching the back of his head with his dirt covered hands, Beyond scoffed. "You never tried to help me. I heard you tell him that I was broken. You weren't wrong, but you never bothered to try to fix me. Just because I wasn't like perfect Lawliet. That would have been fine; I would have been fine to be the broken one. Then you had to go and mess it up. You had to be mean to Lawliet, you had to convince him that he was sick because he would get fucked by me. You were the one who convinced him that he had a mental illness, that he was a pedophile!"

Pacing around, he tried to remember not to get too loud. "You made him live a lie, old man. And now, it's time to free him. I'll never let you say those things to him again and I'll never let him be locked away again. He's free now."

Dragging foliage over the freshly upturned soil, Beyond dusted off his hands and then hopped over the rusted fence. It was easier than when he had a body slung over his shoulder. "Time to get back to my fussy little lover. Hmm, what a beautiful day."

And maybe Lawliet wasn't the only one who was free now.

"It's a beautiful day," he whispered against the Italian's shoulder. "Let's fuck on the patio."

Smiling down, Almost nodded. He was beyond being embarrassed by almost anything. "Alright, Beyond."

/_/_/_/

Cheers rang around the bar as another glass was raised to the newly wedded couple. Mail pressed another open-mouthed kiss against his blushing bride, causing another round of cheering. Rab Yag was decked out in the most fashionable decorations complete with white roses, red runners, and a monogram of M&N shining down on the dance floor. Taking a deep breath, Nate took his husband's hand and led him to the dance floor to join the gyrating crowd. Beet red, he danced just like Mello taught him to. Caught by surprise, it only took the redhead a few seconds before he was shimmying around his bride and showing him all kinds of new moves.

"What's with the Furby?" Mello asked L as he stared at a Furby dressed in a white tuxedo and seated on a chair between the newlyweds' chairs.

L shrugged, laughing as Near tried to keep up with his overly excited husband. "I don't know. Maybe it's some new fad?"

Stepping off his barstool, Mello raised his eyebrows seductively and made his way to the dance floor. Grinning, L followed after his lover and took the offered hand. Not one who knew how to dance, L simply fell into a comfortable rhythm with his body up against the younger boy. Mello was swaying softly, not bothered by the hyped up crowd surrounding them. Thin fingers teased the small of his back and his own arms wrapped comfortably around the taller man's neck. L leaned in for a kiss, but Mello jerked back and shook his head.

"Sorry, I bit my tongue today."

"Oh. It's okay," L replied moving close enough to kiss the boy's cheek. "I love you."

Leaning against the older man's chest, Mello sighed contentedly. "I love you too. I always will."

"Me too. Forever and ever."

/_/_/_/

Dust floated in the air, visible to the naked eye as he traveled through the rays of sunshine filtering through the windows. There were no sounds in the house, only the dripping faucet in the barely used kitchen. Not even breathing could be heard. The dust danced for a moment before settling down with its brother on the old picture frame.

Two men with their fingers intertwined, holding each other as if they were inseparable.

More dust fell on top of the grand piano; only its ivory and ebony keys showing any use. Music would whisper out of it, trembling notes that would speak far more clearly than words ever could.

An empty bed, left untouched after the final cover had been pulled over.

Only one man sat on a cushioned chair, staring out the window. Sitting on the balls of his feet, and rocking slowly. Silence rang out as the pianist no longer felt the need to play, the tear shaped notes saturated into the walls. Scrapbooks rested next to the man with grayed hair, filled page after page with images and memories meticulously placed in order. Nothing missing save for one unhappy year…

…and one final night.

~Fin~